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Photo Password Ends Up Locking Everyone Out

Photo Password ($0.99) by Revolutionary Concepts is a new app that promises unique security for photos and videos on your iPhone. The app allows you to draw a combination of three shapes that are used as a passcode instead of the traditional four number lock.

The app opens with a quick tutorial and setup of the pass code. You choose a background image from one of three presets or from the camera roll. Then you're prompted to create a passcode combination. Combinations consist of three shapes; straight lines, triangles and circles. The shape and direction drawn are recorded and verified before the password is set. You also have the option of emailing the passcode combination to yourself in case you forget.

Once inside the app, you can store pictures and videos for your viewing only. Photos can be added from your iPhone’s photo album or taken from the camera and saved directly to the app. Photos and videos can also be imported.

While this app may sound like a great idea, it is not very practical. Drawing shapes in the same location on a screen is actually quite difficult so, more often than not, the app ends up locking everyone out, even if you know the password.

There is no mechanism to reset the password if forgotten; users have to delete and re-download the app. Also from the app description it seems as if this is a replacement to the iPhone lock screen, which it is not. The photo password only protects for content within the Photo Password app.

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